Replace pontoon trailer bunk boards

I want to use the plastic slide pads because my pontoon is difficult to load and unload. It is a Bass Pro Sun Tracker set up for fishing, 21' length and 60 hp Mercury. It is heavy. The carpeted wood strips are 9 years old and one has rotted.

I am going to change all 4 bunks, 16' long, 2"x4" to 2"x6".

I want to change all the wood, seal it with something weatherproof, and install plastic pads on top. Plastic is supposed to be slicker and easier to load/unload. I am not installing carpet because the carpet will keep water trapped against the wood longer. The carpet would have no purpose with the plastic pads.

Lowes advertises 2 x 6 x 16 for $15. Ebay has several plastic pads and various prices.

Is my reasoning sound? Any places I should search for the plastic pads?

I usually just stick with outdoor carpet wrapped and stapled to good premium treated boards. I used Yellawood for the last set I did. The boards should last a long time on a toon. Probably 10+ years. The toon keeps everything covered during rain IF it is kept outside. The drive home from the lake will have the lake at 60 mph dries a lot of any lake moisture as well. The biggest thing to be careful is getting the pontoon a little off center on the back while loading or better yet while pulling up the ramp by yourself. I stuck one of rest post to guide you onto the boards into the toon while at the dan at Cumberland 2 years ago at Christmas. Trying to get back to Lexington for some dinner thing. Just a good thing I teach welding and had a TIG welder available to fix my error. Good luck. By the way, I changed my boards in the parking lot of the boat ramp with hand tools. Donated the old boards to the marina dumpster after cutting it up.

I have a 15'11" long john boat type aluminum bass boat from Fisher Marine.

I replace the boards on my boat trailer a few years back. I go the treated type but fear that the treatment was for insects not water. Oh Well. They can be replaced again if they rot. The first boards lasted me over 25 years. So I figure the new ones will last as long again.

If I were younger and had to do it all over again. I'd treat them with some type of water proofing stain. Thompson won't last long as I've used that on my back wooden deck and it didn't last very long. The Stain that I got from Benjamin Moore Lasted much longer and looked better.

Anyway I stapled indoor/outdoor carpet on the boards. I found that my boat would not slide off the trailer with the carpet on the boards.

The Boards are long 2x4 on edge. I guess that they are about 16 ft. long. Only two of them on the trailer.

When I went to Bass Pro Shops or Cabela's I found the plastic strips that you can screw onto the top edge of the boards and placed about 4 of them along the boards top edge with wood screws. They have a recessed area for the screw heads. Now my boat flies off the trailer with ease.

I replaced the side boards on my trailer too as they help me guide the boat onto the trailer more easily and keep the boat centered on the trailer.

You could get buy without the carpet if you wish. The plastic strips are slick and work well. I spaced them a few inches apart and made sure that I had enough to cover the length of the board. The space between each plastic strip was less than 1 ft. The bottom of the aluminum boat slides along the plastic strips easy.


[QUOTE=llg;561535]I want to use the plastic slide pads because my pontoon is difficult to load and unload. It is a Bass Pro Sun Tracker set up for fishing, 21' length and 60 hp Mercury. It is heavy. The carpeted wood strips are 9 years old and one has rotted.

I am going to change all 4 bunks, 16' long, 2"x4" to 2"x6".

I want to change all the wood, seal it with something weatherproof, and install plastic pads on top. Plastic is supposed to be slicker and easier to load/unload. I am not installing carpet because the carpet will keep water trapped against the wood longer. The carpet would have no purpose with the plastic pads.

Lowes advertises 2 x 6 x 16 for $15. Ebay has several plastic pads and various prices.

Is my reasoning sound? Any places I should search for the plastic pads?[/QUOTE]

Lowes also has plastic planks made for decking. Wonder how that would work?

Here you go...............you will NEVER replace these.

[url]https://www.ultimatebunkboards.com/[/url]

$400 is a bit much for 4 boards that are 12'. My old ones are 16', but this is close.

[QUOTE=llg;561567]$400 is a bit much for 4 boards that are 12'. My old ones are 16', but this is close.[/QUOTE]

There are cheaper alternatives you just have to shop around. they are all about the same, but you need to be careful as the boat may slip off these since they are "slicker" than carpet.

[QUOTE=GeoFisher;561562]Here you go...............you will NEVER replace these.

[URL]https://www.ultimatebunkboards.com/[/URL][/QUOTE]



Geo - would these work on bass boat trailers? Do you have these on your trailer? I love the idea of never having to replace bunks!!

Yea the boat will slip off the plastic boards much faster. keep the safety chain attached until you are ready for the boat to go off the trailer and into the water.


[QUOTE=GeoFisher;561568]There are cheaper alternatives you just have to shop around. they are all about the same, but you need to be careful as the boat may slip off these since they are "slicker" than carpet.[/QUOTE]

Just be careful when you buy plastic boards and the ozone in the air can attack plastic and make it crack and fall apart. That's why they treat the plastic with some type of antioxidant substance to protect it from UV light.

UV light is what breaks down Oxygen molecules into Free Oxygen atoms which combine with other O2 molecules to make O3 or Ozone. Ozone is what's doing the damage by oxidizing the plastic surface. Ozone in high concentrations is used to kill bacteria and mold. Ozone is a gas and it's very reactive and can be dangerous in higher concentrations. Long term exposure to lower ozone levels can also be harmful to human lungs. It may also be responsible for skin cancer.

I replaced mine last year, they were 10 years old, i went to lowes and got treated 2 x 4's and lowes had some recycled plastic that looks and feels like carpet, so I got enough to cover the new boards, I used glue and staples to attach the plastic carpet to the boards, and replaced the old lag bolts with new ones, so far so good, cost about 60.00 bucks and look nice.

Their plastic decking is only 1" thick, but if this is to replace 2" wood, then it should be as strong as 2" and work fine. My current bunks are 2x4's. 3/4 lag screws should work. I plan to get 2x6's. They are designed for decks so weather should not be a factor.

I definitely need a slicker solution. My pontoon is difficult to load or unload.

One of my current wood bunks can be squeezed together all along the entire 16'. Rotten to the core, so I plan to replace all 4.